Date:
9-16 June
Air
Temp: -2 > 12 C
Water
Temp: 6 > 7 C
Water
height: +8 > -1cm
Number
of rods: 15 > 11
Number
of fish caught: 83
Biggest
fish: 34lbs Roger T
No
30lb+: 5
No
20-29lbs: 17
No
8-19lbs: 61
Grilse:
0
Weather:
Fierce
north easterly wind with sub zero temps and snow flurries to warm light breeze
and strong sunny spells.
Manager’s Comments:
I
always really enjoy this week. The tundra comes to life and the first decent
runs of big fresh fish tend to arrive.
 |
| The 'Yokanga Family' |
The
week is made up mainly of long term Yokanga regulars, and that was the case
again although everyone missed Dean M whose commitments at home precluded him
staying on for his second week. This ‘Yokanga Family’ are always incredibly
welcoming and encouraging to the new rods (Marcus, Graeme, David and the
Icelandic team of Ingvi, Gunnar, Thorir and Stefan), helping me enormously and
never allowing any of the team to get despondent if they have had a blank day
or two. They really are what make this river a special place to be – no
competition or jealousy - a genuine team who take enormous pleasure from the
successes of their fellow fishers.
 |
| Chunky fresh salmon |
So
we ended the week with just over 80 salmon landed. Probably a similar number
lost. Big, fresh, fat, perfectly conditioned fish, 27% of them weighing 20lbs
or more. Yes it was incredibly challenging at points, horrific wind and cold,
but a worthwhile challenge with these really special fish bought to the net,
photographed and returned safely to the river.
 |
| One of the many salmon over 20lbs in the week |
The
continuing run of outgoing kelts, extremely well mended and many of them huge,
also gave encouragement both in terms of last season’s spawning, coupled with
the hope that they will feed locally in the White Sea for the next 12 months
and return to the river next season in fantastic shape, joining the maiden
spring fish. I will also return to Yokanga in 12 months, no doubt in slightly
less fantastic shape than the aforementioned salmon, but nonetheless as excited
as ever to arrive on the banks of this great river.
On
which note I sign off, heading back to the UK as Henry takes over for the next
weeks.
Peter
Rippin
